Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (JD)

Mangaluru, Jan 1: The Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) on Friday January 1 led a huge protest in front of the DC's office here, against the ban on the entry of Islamic scholar Dr Zakir Naik into city. The protestors slammed the ruling Congress party in the state and the district adminisration, and alleged that they 'feared' the right-wing outfits.

Dr Zakir Naik was supposed to participate in a programme organized by South Karnataka Salafi Movement (SKSM) on January 3. Days before the event, Mangaluru city police commissioner S Murugan issued a ban order on Dr Naik's entry, following protests against his visit from various quarters. The programme has now been postponed by two months.

Addressing the gathering, national chief secretary of SDPI Ilyas Mohammed Thumbay slammed the district administration and the Congress along with the RSS and Sangh Parivar, and said, "Even though there was section 144 in Moodbidri, the district administration permitted the Sangh Parivar outfits to march with swords, and because the leaders of the Sangh Parivar opposed Dr Zakir Naik's visit to Mangaluru, the district police banned his entry. When our party wanted to hold awareness programmes in the district against communal terrorism we were denied permission. This shows that the district administration and the district in-charge minister fear the right-wing outfits.

"It is no wonder that the administration has taken this decision when MLC Ganesh Karnik himself had accepted the fact that 60 percent of the police personnel are from the RSS. If the law and order has to be maintained in the district, the police department has to be cleansed first", he said.

Slamming the BJP-led union government, he said, "Today people are being killed in the name of cow. The MPs of the government are giving out derogatory statements against the minority. Why is the Prime Minister keeping mum over this? He is also a leader of one community. The government's motto is not 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas' but 'Sabka Sath Sabse Nafrath'."

Convener of Dalit Sangharsha Samithi-Puttur, Ananda Mitthabail said, "I request the district administration to submit an affidavit stating they cannot give police protection to SDPIs programme and that SDPI is capable of holding the program without police protection. The party workers of SDPI are the ones to work in a secular way, contrary to the BJP and the Congress. In 15 to 20 years we might see a Prime Minister from SDPI in the country as we are the only party to follow the Constitution.

"We do not need anyone to tell us what to eat and what to wear. Who has given the people the right to enter houses and assault minorities and the Dalits? The people of the country have to raise their voice against this," he added.

State secretary of SDPI Abdul Latif Puttur said, "We had held a campaign to spread awareness against communal terrorism. Today I call upon all the people not to bow your heads before the communalists. Our party workers should not bow their heads to the district in-charge minister nor the police. It is time to abolish communal terrorism by coming to the streets against it."

Former mayor K Ashraf, SDPI state secretaries Alphonso Franco, Akram Hasan, district president Haneef Khan Kodaje, vice-president Ataullah, corporator Aziz Krishnapura among others the present.